Shailesh Vyas

July 29, 1972, Male, Married English, Hindi, Gujarati, Kutchi

Home: Office: ‘Ridhi – Sidhi’ Arid Communities and Technologies B/H Dena Bank, Hospital Road, Vijaynagar 6, Vijay Apartment, Opp. Town Hall Bhuj, Kachchh, 370 001 Bhuj, Kachchh, 370 001 Ph: 91-2832-222806 (R), 919825857182 (M) Ph: 91-2832-309633 (O) E-mail:[email protected]

Education

Degree Institution Distinction Year Post Graduate Indian Institute of Ecology and Environment, New Passed out in First 1999 Diploma in Ecology Delhi Division and Environment B.Sc. (Agriculture) N. M. Collage of Agriculture, Navsari of Gujarat Passed out in First 1994 Agricultural University, S. K. Nagar Division (6.9 OGPA out of 10)

Dissertation: Post graduate Diploma in Ecology and Environment Dryland Cultivation in Kachchh: Perspectives, Problems and Prospects

Work Experience Since March 1994, I have been working with Sahjeevan (formerly known as Jan Vikas Ecology Cell), Bhuj, a voluntary organization working on the eco-restoration and development aspects of the Kachchh region of Gujarat State. It emphasizes on empowering the rural communities to make choices for development through an active process of organizing and lobbying. It supports its activities by research and development studies to generate sustainable livelihoods.

Sahjeevan operates through three main units namely Water Resources Unit, Biomass Unit, and Human Institution Development Unit.

My responsibilities though spread across all the units, I focused on the activities of the Biomass Unit since the beginning and grew with the Unit to be entrusted with responsibility of leading the Unit in 1996.

Currently I hold the position of Program Coordinator (since 1998) that adds further responsibilities that influence policies and strategic decisions of the organization.

Biomass unit’s activities spread across the following activities: soil and moisture conservation (watershed development), fodder banking, grassland development and management, joint forest management, organic farming, organic produce marketing, household technologies like gobar gas, etc. and recently she has started working with fishing community. The specific responsibilities and activities that I was involved are described below. Recently (February 2004) with my collogue we have established the organization named Arid Communities and Technologies with aim to strengthen livelihood of communities in arid and semi-arid regions irrespective of their race, cast, community or creed by resolving ecological constrains through, provision or facilitation of access to technologies or generate technological or institutional solutions in collaboration with communities. Dryland Agriculture  Study and analysis of dryland agriculture in Pachchham Island to identify problems associated and develop an approach for dryland agriculture development. It involved action research through setting up an expert farmer group to develop the approach.  Study to identify characteristics of indigenous field race of Bajra group from its phenotypes in Pachchham Island.  Extended support to Abdasa Mahila Vikas Sanghathan to successfully establish a seed bank  Study to understand the impact of various soil and moisture conservation works on dryland agriculture productive in Pachchham Island.  Facilitated the Dador village committee to undertake implementation of soil and moisture conservation works for dryland agriculture improvement.  Study of potential for green marketing of dryland products to link with green markets in Mumbai. Irrigated Agriculture  Study of economics involved in growing various horticultural crops relevant to Kachchh

Curriculum Vitae-Shailesh Vyas-23/4/2004 1  Implemented establishment of gene bank of horticultural plants species for Pachchham Island at a demonstration farm at Khawada.  Organized and conducted experiments o to grow horticultural plants for desert conditions in Pachchham Island o for screening of horticultural plants species that grow in moderately saline water application at Khavada demonstration farm.  Facilitated implementation of an irrigation dam at Uthangadi village of Nakhatrana taluka and its management through community participation Animal Husbandry and Grasslands  Studied grassland and its floral bio diversity of village Laiyari of Nakhatrana taluka.  Established a fodder bank and its management system for village Laiyari of Nakhatrana taluka.  Designed and implemented grassland regeneration in Laiyari, Tal and Dador villages of Nakhatrana taluka. This project spread over 275 ha. of land both in hilly and flat terrain and also covers some saline land.  Support and guidance for a study on Grassland Mapping of the Nani Banni Area in Kachchh using Satellite Data and GIS, a student project, Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal  Conducted study on bullock trade from Pachchham Region. Forestry  Facilitated implementation of forestry plot without irrigation by Dador village committee of Nakhatrana Taluka under Joint Forest Management Scheme  Study of potential for minor forest produce for the forestry forestry project Fisheries  Coordinating a study socio-economics of fishermen households of Mundra taluka.  Involved in Paghadiya Fisherman Rehabilitation Programme in Shekhadiya village of Mundra taluka after the cyclone of 1998 Ground Water  Involved in designing and implementing a groundwater recharge experiment at village Khari of Pachchham Island  Undergone training for geophysical investigation for ground water exploration Drought Proofing - Reduction of Household Vulnerability  At present, I am developing a concept and methodology to derive vulnerability status of the households towards the drought at different extent in rural areas especially when the income sources are as diverse as agriculture and livestock and natural resource base as well as non-natural resources.  Preparation of a Micro Level Action Plan with keeping in view the Reduction of Household Vulnerability for four diverse villages of Kachchh. Agriculture Action Plan for the Kachchh District  At present, I am working on the preparation of Agriculture Action Plan for the Kachchh District funded by United Nation Development Programme and The Royal Embassy of The Netherlands through Environmental Planning Collaborative.  I am the team leader for the Agriculture Action Plan.  Planning exercise has involved several case studies, consultation with farmers, research institutes and government officials, workshops with various stockholders.  Preparation of the final report is in the progress. Watershed Development  Watershed development planning and implementation in Khari village, Pachchham Island, with focus on soil and moisture conservation  Watershed development planning and implementation in Laiyari village, Nakhatrana taluka with focus on grass and fodder generation to strengthen animal husbandry  Development of proposals for watershed development in Tal and Dador villages of Nakhatrana taluka for support from District Rural Development Agency  Involved in developing a methodology resource mapping and planning of watershed through participatory rural appraisal.  Attended a workshop organized by NABARD to introduce their watershed development programme in Gujarat at Ahmedabad.  Attended a workshop organized by CAPART to introduce their watershed development programme in Gujarat at Gandhinagar. Drinking Water and Sanitation  Involved in designing and budgeting for upgradation of traditional drinking water pond to reduce evaporation losses during summer months at Shinapar village (previously known as Dhedhapar), Lakhpat taluka  Supported the Baraya village committee of Mundra taluka to plan and implement upgradation works of village drinking water pond through community participation, ‘shramdan’  Facilitated villagers and Mahila Mandal of Bhadreshwar and Ramaniya villages in Mundra taluka to implement rural sanitation programme in their villages. Disaster Management  Involved in assessment of damages caused by the cyclone of 1998 to Bhujpur village of Mundra taluka.

Curriculum Vitae-Shailesh Vyas 2  Member of Task Force for the gigantic task of assessing the damages caused by cyclone of 1999 by surveying more than 100 villages of Abdasa and Lakhpat taluka and household survey of 13 coastal villages of Lakhpat taluka  Facilitated villages of Mundra taluka to establish ‘SETU’ to coordinate relief and rehabilitation activities after Bhuj Earthquake 2001.  Was in-charge for repairing the Faradi Minor Irrigation dam of Kachchh district, which was severely damaged in the Bhuj Earthquake 2001. The task was to complete the work in the shortest possible time. Training  Organization of exposure trips for men and women farmers of Pachchham, Nakhatrana and Mundra taluka to Alwar, Rajasthan  Member of training committee to develop curriculum for training work force rural development in Kachchh conducted by the Kutch Nav Nirman Abhiyan  Developed training module on dryland farming, its problem analysis and solutions for dryland farmers of Pachchham Island and Nakhatrana taluka.  Underwent training module of Ecology of Kachchh, technical aspects in watershed development, Social aspects in natural resource management, Animal husbandry in Kachchh for the training programme to prepare work force of youth for rural development. Kutch Nav Nirman Abhiyan runs this programme.  Was involved in preparation of training material on several technical and ecological aspects. Important conferences and workshops participated  Participated in an international conference on infrastructure finance and disaster mitigation at Colombo (Sri Lanka) by USAID.  Presented framework for reduction of ecological vulnerability at household level in a workshop organized by United Nation Development Programme and The Royal Embassy of The Netherlands in Bhuj during February 2002.  Presented experiences of Sahjeevan in setting up fodder banks and other initiatives for grassland management, Workshop jointly organized by the Collector of Kachchh and Director, Gujarat institute of Desert Ecology, Bhuj.  Attended a National Conference on Organic Farming, “Agricultural Renewal In India For Sustainable Environment (ARISE)” at Auroville, Pondicheary, U.T.  Attended a “Integrated Coastal and Marine Area Management“ (ICMAM) planning workshop organized by Department of Ocean Development on Gulf of Kachchh at Space Application Center, Ahmedabad.  Presented a paper titled “Changing Role Of Community In Natural Resource Management” at the International Conference on Creativity and Innovation at Grassroots for Sustainable Natural Resource Management organized by Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad during 11–14 January 1997.  Presentation on Household Vulnerability in Kachchh, at the Conference organized by Natural Resource Management Division of Overseas funding agency at Banglore. Writings 1. With Sandeep Virmani: ‘An analysis and Proposal for Animal Husbandry in Kachchh : A Discussion Note’ which was submitted by Kutch Navnirman Abhiyan, Bhuj to National Dairy Development Board, Anand. 2. With Yogendrasinh Jadeja, “ The Lost River Saraswati“, published in ‘Kutchmitra’ Kachchii Newspaper. 3. With Yogendrasinh Jadeja (Forthcoming), ‘Traditional Natural Resource Management in Kachchh’ for a book titled ‘Sustainable Development Strategies For Kachchh’ for the E&D series of the Center of Environment Education, Ahmedabad. 4. Editor, A Book on Flora of Kala Dungar of Pachchham “Pachchham Bet ni Vanaspatio ane teni Upyogita” with original documentation by Late Ismail Sama Masterjee of Tuga village of Pachchham Island. Membership  Member of Local Advisory Committee (LAC) for Sub-state Kachchh, Gujarat as part of National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan project initiated by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, New Delhi Other Activities  Currently coordinating Natural Resource Mapping Programme that involves remote sensing, image processing and mapping using GIS to generate resource maps at village level for the whole Kachchh district, which is perhaps first of its kind in India carried at that scale on behalf of Kutch Nav Nirman Abhiyan and Sahjeevan in collaboration with Gujarat Institute of desert Ecology, Bhuj.  Currently coordinate an organic farmers’ forum known as “Kutch Sajiv Kheti Munch”, which aims to establish different organic farming methods and to link their products with green markets.  Supported to organized a fare on Women and Environment in June 1996 in Bhuj. Distinctions in Extra-curricular Activities during college National Cadet Corps  ‘C’ certificate of Army Wing with ‘B’ grade in March 1992  ‘B’ certificate of Army Wing with ‘C’ grade in March 1991  Company Under Officer of Company 1 of 20 Guj. Bn. during 1991-92  Attended an Annual Training Camp at Daman in October-November 1990  Attended an Army Attachment Camp with 1 Mahar Regiment of Indian Army at Gandhinagar in September- October 1991  Attended All India Trekking Camp at Shillong (Meghalaya) in October-November 1991

Curriculum Vitae-Shailesh Vyas 3 National Social Service  Attended two annual camps of N.S.S. 1991 and 1993 in South Gujarat region. Sports  Represented college in Inter-collegiate Basketball tournament for the year 1991-92 Others  Represented college in Inter-collegiate Debate competition for the year 1991-92  Am Director in Indian Junior Chamber, Youth Wing, Navsari for the year 1991-92

Curriculum Vitae-Shailesh Vyas 4